Workshops help staff make maximum impact during major organisational change

More than 100 patient safety specialists at AstraZeneca have taken part in workshops to equip them with the communication and interpersonal skills to make more impact than ever before.

Designed and run by Axiom, the training supported a major project, billed as One Patient Safety, that brings together previously separate patient safety teams at AstraZeneca into a single organisation with a consistent way of working.

Patient Safety leaders reviewed our range of engagement skills workshops and chose four to include in a global ‘capability build’. In May and June, Axiom’s Chris Carey and Miles Henson led workshops in the US and Sweden on:

In their feedback, participants gave an average rating of 9.3 out of 10 for the communication capability workshops. Their comments included:

“Lively, lots of new info, practical.”

“Blend of great examples, practical, useful.”

“I learned a number of new things about negotiating that I can put into practice.”

“Engaging and provided real-world evidence for adopting a positive view.”

“I thought I knew everything about presentations – before this course!”

Our work to support One Patient Safety has also included writing and producing a range of printed and digital communication materials to engage staff worldwide. More workshops for Patient Safety staff are scheduled around the world later this year.

Speaker coaching by Axiom founder Chris Carey has helped senior scientists in one of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies overcome nerves and learn to present with impact

Our clients were due to speak to scientific and non-scientific colleagues at sites worldwide about changes to the company’s approach to drug development. One-to-one coaching sessions over several weeks helped them develop their story, boost their confidence and enhance their delivery.

Says Chris: “We started by getting the speakers use the power of storytelling to find a way to engage their audience and make their messages clear and memorable. We also helped them discover and embrace their natural styles so they were able to come across as authentic, credible and passionate.

“At the end of our work together, one participant described the coaching as genuinely life-changing.”

Chris adds: “For many of us, public speaking can be anxiety-provoking if not downright terrifying. Yet by working with people on their underlying beliefs and thoughts and then exploring and embedding best-practice presentation ideas and techniques, it’s possible to overcome this barrier and become a confident presenter who can captivate an audience.”